The Texas Department of State Health Services has confirmed a bat found in North Mesquite has tested positive for rabies.
The creepy little guy was found on Aug. 30, in the 3300 block of Sidney Drive. As part of city policy, the bat was sent to the state for testing where it tested positive for the viral neuroinvasive disease that makes the human brain swell.
This is the third case of rabies confirmed in an animal in Mesquite in the past two years.
Anyone who may have come in contact with a bat, or other wild animal, is urged to contact their physician since rabies is a zoonotic disease, which means it’s transmitted by animals to people. Rabies infections are always fatal in people unless treated before symptoms begin. People who live in North Mesquite should also protect their pets from rabid animals by having them vaccinated.
Bats should never be handled. Anyone observing a bat on the ground alive or dead should contact Animal Services immediately at 972-216-6907.
